Penguins pick up Jokinen from Carolina

Associated Press

Carolina Hurricanes’ Jussi Jokinen (36) works the puck against Pittsburgh Penguins’ Brooks Orpik (44) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Raleigh, N.C. The Hurricanes have traded Jokinen to the Penguins for a draft pick on Wednesday.

Jokinen is a noted shootout specialist and fan favorite whose scoring has fallen off during this shortened season.

Jokinen has 30 career shootout goals, and only two players in league history have scored more since the tiebreaker was introduced in 2005-06.

He had six goals and five assists in 33 games with the Hurricanes, who placed him on waivers last week. He went unclaimed and returned to Carolina.

It’s the second trade between the clubs in less than a year. Pittsburgh traded center Jordan Staal to the Hurricanes during the draft last June in exchange for Brandon Sutter, a prospect and a draft pick.

Lately, though, the teams have been trending in opposite directions.

The Penguins, who will be without star Sidney Crosby indefinitely with a broken jaw, have 56 points – five more than second-place Montreal – and had a 15-game winning streak end Tuesday night in a loss to Buffalo.

Carolina, meanwhile, has fallen from the Southeast Division lead after losing nine of 10 during an injury-plagued slump in which its top two goalies and two key defensemen have been hurt. Most recently, the team announced Wednesday that defenseman Joni Pitkanen will miss the rest of the season with a broken left heel.